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Thursday, September 27, 2007

Taylor-Pavlik: A Tough Fight For One Round

Emmanuel Steward, the usually unemotional and restrained trainer for Jermain Taylor, fired a short hook to the ribcage with his remark about his guy’s upcoming fight with Kelly Pavlik:

"It's going to be a tough fight — for about one round," Steward said at the news conference for Saturday's battle in Atlantic City.

It’s too late to comment and too hard to top that quip, so I thought I’d just repeat what I’d learned from listening to boxing fans around the country. Pavlik has lots of supporters who believe in the big bomb theory of boxing, but it is hard to find a single one who will pick Kelly to win big. Pavlik’s supporters are very much inclined to talk up his strong points but, when it comes to conclusions, they are very much hedging their bets.

Truly, I think that Pavlik’s support comes from a tiny GWH contingent and a huge sentiment-for-the-underdog-and-less- ballyhooed fighter. Will Cinderella make it to the ball or be reduced to cleaning the cinders?

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